OOC: No problem! I like RPing with you guys, more than with the team now running Black Nova, to be honest :'(
IC: Lt. Wor hit the dashboard in anger. They had escaped! His commander would not be pleased!
He turned to his companion. RW-984 was tending to a few injured civilians, metres away.
Wor grabbed the radio himself.

OOC: Yniner - we're heading to the location of the jedi library which is in the emperor's palace to the best of my knowledge

IC: The two speeders settled back calmly into the normal ebb and flow of the Corruscant traffic stream. Elodin's speeder had lost some engine power but was crusing ok.

"Where to?" he queried off Ariane

She looked at him gravely "The emperor's palace!"

Elodin double looked her for a moment. "I hope you know what your doing!" her replied as the two speeders changed to another lane.

"Not really but I do trust in the force" she replied with a forced smile

"Well lets just hope the emperor is not there" quipped Elodin

Originally posted by Shebulba:

Wes was leaving to the upper city when he noticed two speeders ripping out of the nearest passageway in the tunnel he was in and into another, followed by Imperial speeders. He came close to the tunnel and peered in. The Imperials had stopped at a mass of pipes blocking their way. The other two were nowhere to be seen. He was very curious, which usually meant he'd be getting into trouble soon.
He was so curious, in fact, that he took a shortcut to where that tunnel led.

The two speeders touched down a short distance from the imperial palace. The occupants of the speeders stared in awe at the massive building that loomed in front of them.

The imperial palace was the tallest building in the Corruscant sky line. Not only was it home to the Emperor and his elite guard but also the headquarters of the imperial army. Shuttles and imperial transports constantly flowed to and from the complex and a giant landing pad stretched out behind the massive structure. Imperial speeders and gunships operated from the lower levels of the great compound and squads of imperil troopers were housed within the massive structure.

Elodin whistled a long drawn out whistle.

"How are we suppose to get in there?" he queried of no one in particular.

"Beats the frell out of me" replied Reed.

Ariane stood staring at the massive structure for a moment and then closed her eyes, her mind travelled as if guided by some unseen force she could see the impossing frame of the imperial palace but her mind continued again guided. Her vision dived below the palace to the depths of the under city sweeping through the crowded, infected streets below. He vision stopped for a moment showing her a large pipe entrance in a water pumping station in the undercity and then it ended.

"We go down!" she said softly

"Excuse me?" replied Elodin, "We go down how is that going to help?"

"You will learn my young Padwan that sometimes the direct route is not always the best," she turned to face the others, "Massive water stations pump defrosted water from the ice caps all through this city. There is a unused one in the undercity below the palace. Thats our way in!"

"Its got to be protected!" injected Kregor

"Most likely" replied Ariane "Elodin and I have to do this the rest of you don't If you want to back out now is the time to do so!"

Jeb sat on Ruusan. He had been there for years now, making himself stronger in his connection to the Force. He had honed his connection to the living Force and had nearly perfected his lightsaber combat. All he could do now was sit and wait for his time to help restore the Order.

IC: As Jeb meditated he could sense another presence in the room, the presence was familiar, warm he slowly opened his eyes. As he looked accross his camp fire he could see a glowing blue image standing opposite him.

The figure was a red haired woman, in her early to mid thirties. Her face carried a million worries. She wore a Jedi robe which obscured her sultry frame. The woman smiled warmly at Jeb.

"Hello my love it has been a long time!" she spoke softly almost melodiously.

Jeb was in awe, it had been years since he had gazed at her soft features, he had almost fogotten her voice. He stood up slowly never taking his eyes from the glowing figure

"Ariane I.......!" he started

"Yes I know you must have many questions but my time is short my love. I have sought you out Jeb to help our daughter!"

"I was sure she was killed when Inara and Joren were slain by Vader's death squads!" he replied.

"No Jeb she lives and now she needs her fathers guidance! I can guide her no longer!"

"How will I find her?" Jeb enquired

"She and her padwan are on Corruscant. The force has set them a test that they must surmount. One the task is complete they will be heading to Ossus to complete their training. This they can not do alone.

The image paused for a moment as she moved closer to the camp and to Jeb.

"Jeb Ariane needs your help! Seek her out on Ossus. Her Jedi powers are strong but unfocused and she would benefit from your teachings in saber techniques. This is the last stage in her Jedi devolopment once it is complete I will appear to her no more, it will then be her turn to pass those teachings to her Padwan. Once you are together on Ossus I will meet you there to say goodbye."

As the image started to fade she called gently against a gentle wind

"Seek her out my love!" the calling echoed on the breeze for a few moments and then Jeb was left alone once more!

Jeb wished she could stay longer. He longed to touch her sweet lips again. It had truely been an eternity. His love would always remain for her.

He gathered his things and placed them on the Golem's Fist. He plotted the course for Ossus on his nav computer and blasted off. He watched as the surface of Ruusan quickly left his sights. It had been his home for so long now. He felt almost naked away from the blanket of Force protection the planet provided. He set his hyperdrive for the planet Ariane and her Padawan would be traveling to. The blue of hyperspace surrounded him.

While Ariane talked with the other three, Elodin checked the speeders onboard computer for a map of the local district. When he finally got one running he was unsurprised to see that within half a mile of the palace there were no details on the map, just a broad blank page stating 'Classified' in large letters. Turning his attention to the undercity maps imediately bordering the blank section he began searching for a possibly way into the pipes that Ariane had mentioned. He scrolled through a list of tunnels, all of which looked unpromising, when suddenly a slight tremmor in the force made him look over a tunnel he'd just cast aside. It looked as if it went of in a completely oposite direction to the palace but the force was definately trying to tell him something...

'I think I've found our way in.' He said, 'We'd best get moving before more patrols track us from that tunnel...'

ooc: Wonderful!! Now I can follow this thread! And to Yniners last post, I understand. It has changed a little since the new guys joined. If you want to capture Kirin, when he returns from Hoth, he should be an easy target, hint, hint. Carry on my freinds!

"Yeah, and I stole an ISD. Doesn't mean you should. I am the lunitic around here." LT. CMDR. KIRIN A. TSUKINO
----------------------------------------
"What? Where in God's vast galaxy are you going to find a man crazy enough to even attempt to jump a moon into hyperspa.....where do I sign?"

Kregor, Galena and Reed climbed into the tunnel after Elodin. Once everyone was inside they started crawling. Galena snagged her cloak on a rusty grill that had been left open, " Wait I have an Idea ! " With Kregors help she shut the grate and carefully welded it shut with the tip of her sabre.

Together they climbed, after what seemed like an age Ariane stopped the others. the heat in the tunnel had been rising as they climbed and now the heat was almost overpowering. The case of the pipe/tunnel was now almost scalding to the touch.

"I don't think we can go much further in here!" Ariane commented

"I've heard rumors that the palace has its own shield generator this pipe must be part of the cooling system to the reactor that powers it" whispered Elodin wiping the sweat from his brow.

"In that case we definatly don't want to stay here!" commented Reed

Silently Ariane pulled out her lightsaber and started to cut through the side of the pipe. Suddenly the side of the pipe fell away and clanged on the ground some 20 feet below.

Ariane grimaced as she heard the clang.

"So much for the silent approach" Elodin quiped with a smile

"Don't be smart" she replied with a gentle slap on the shoulder as she slid out the hole and dropped to the floor below.

The rest of the group quickly exited the pipe and joined her. Galena helped Kregor to the group rather than let him fall 20 feet to the ground she used the force to slow his fall and he landed gracefully besides her.

Elodin approached Ariane, who appeared a little distracted, "You ok?" he enquired.

She didn't answer him for a moment she seemed to be concentrating elsewhere he was about to ask again when she stopped him by placing her finger gently on his lips.

"I'm fine" she smiled "but there is something....."

Elodin quietened his mind and he could feel it too, something concealed, stealthy it felt like it was watching them and the feeling it gave him was very discomforting. He shivered slightly.

"I sense it too!" he replied

"I'm sure Galena and Reed probably have too......."

Suddenly a door hissed open behind them and a metalic voice called out

"HALT!"

The group spinned to see a squad of four troopers at the far entry to the room. The troopers opened fire as another door hissed open to the groups right revealing a second squad who also immediatly opened fire.

"Fall back!" Ariane called over the blaster fire and moving down the walkway.

"But why?" called Elodin "There are only eight!"

"How many more do you think are enroute?" called Kregor as he grabbed the young Jedi and encouraged him along the walkway. "Go!"

"Elodin get that door open!" Ariane called pointing at the blast door ahead.

"I'll help" called Reed as the two ran ahead of the rest of the group.

Suddenly a section of the walkway opened under the two young Jedi and they fell down what appeared to be a maintenance pipe.

"REED!" Galena and Kregor called

"ELODIN!" Called Ariane

The trio ran up to the point where they had disappeared but the pipe had reclosed and they could not see where the pipe went after a few meters as the pipe quickly darkened.

"We should be wary" Galena started "It would appear we are being watched this is unlikely to be an accident!"

Wes was a distance behind them as they had entered the tunnel. They were trying to get in. He had a few ideas as of why but didn't stop to consider them.

He had gotten out of his ship and looked in the tunnel. He didn't fancy going in there but his curiosity overtook him. He followed until he came to a welded grate he didn't see how he could get past that. He was about to leave when he remembered what he had back in his ship. He couldn't believe he was going through all these lengths, but his curiosity had grabbed hold of him and it wasn't letting go. He went back to his ship. Thermal detonators would have been better, but he had used his last one getting away from some of the local patrols after an episode that included fast ships, stolen products, and several ticked off policeman.

He got out a heavily modified blaster, if you could tell from the looks, that is. I looked like a miniature missile launcher. He had bought it off some broke mechanic who needed the money. It was the most powerful blaster he had. The thing looked so clumsy he had been amazed that it worked.

He came back to the grate. Two shots did it in. He continued on through the tunnel. After what seemed like forever he heard something. Blaster shots.

Ic: Elodin slid faster and faster down the pipe, try as he might he couldn't get a purchase on any surface, the pipe was just to smooth. He could hear Reed just behind him, the hiss of his slide mixing with Elodin's.

Suddenly the pair shot out of the pipe's end. Sailing helplessly through the air Elodin got a brief image of a cavernous domed room, a single walkway jutting half the way into it suspended about 20 meters from the ground.

Just as Elodin was expecting excruciating pain from hitting the floor at such a speed, the two young Jedi plunged into water. Realisation dawned on Elodin as he swam to the dark surface, this was a Palace reservoir; not a dome at all, but an imense sphere, half filled with deep water.

Emerging spluttering next to Reed he looked at the other young man grimly. 'This is bad, I can't see how we can reach that walkway from here.'

Reed replied 'I know, but that's not the worst of our problems. Can't you feel it?'

Elodin nodded, he had already felt the darkness they had detected earlier, only now it was much much stronger...

The silence was deafening. Reed and Elodin felt the Darkness drawing in. Reed waded around the outer edge of the water line in the sphere. When nearly level with the walkway he turned to Elodin, " Haven't tried this many times before... Still here goes..." Summoning up the force he sprung up high into the air, up above the walkway, then down clumsily into the water again.

After a few seconds his head emerged, " Splutter ! Hmmph, let's try that again... STOP SMIRKING YOU ! "

Swimming back to the side Reed concentrated a little harder and force-jumped up onto the narrow walkway. His sabre was still wet, knowing that a wet sabre wouldn't work he tried to get as much water off as he could.

~ Meanwhile Kregor paced around the small corridor junction. Tapping could be hear the other side of the door they had just come through. " Let's get out of here ! This way..."

Charging down a corridor Galena and Ariane heard the hum of a lightsabre igniting. Kregor re-emerged, backing into the area where there was more room....

Elodin smiled, he found that he liked Reed. The two of them were close in age, he reflected and their paths seemed to be following the same course for now...

Swimming over to the point that Reed had jumped from, Elodin was about to follow when he felt something brush his leg. Instantly he felt an incredibly strong tenticle wrap round his calf... a dianooga!

'Reed! HELP!' Elodin cried, only just in time as he was pulled underwater.

Ariane and Galena stopped as they heard the all to familar noise. Kregor cuaght up quickly to them. The large bare room was decidedly silent, it was much like the room they had entered through a large dome shaped room. The ceiling was several meters high and the walls were smooth and bare. about 3 meters off the ground disecting the room a single walkway was suspended and was the only thing to break the single design mater for the room. On each of the 4 'corners' of the room was a large blast door.

As the entered the large room the other three doors hissed open. Behind each door stood an attack squad of stormtroopers. Each squad backed up by an AT ST walker and mobile ground assault cannon.

"Didn't we just leave this party" grimaced Ariane as she brought her lightsaber up in front of her.

"How are we suppose to get out of this?" Queried Galena as the trio stood back to back in the center of the room.

"We work together!" replied Ariane she closed her eyes and reached out to her friends with her mind together they heard her voice in their head.

"We will fight as one, this link will let each of us know what the others are doing. Kregor do not be anxious I will not force you to do anything you do not want to do!"

Jeb sat in a darkened room aboard the Golem's Fist, concentrating. He searched the galaxy for his daughter. He sat entranced so deeply that not even the incredible whine of his old engines could be heard. Star system after star system passed through his mind as he searched all of space for the presence that was Ariane. He had started in the Outer Rim and worked his way back to the Core. He passed Naboo, Tatooine, and many others. He found himself drawn to Coruscant. He felt out for Ariane's presence and found nothing. He was about to search another planet when something tugged at him. It was faint, but still there. He could feel her there. He focused his mind to her. She was connected in some kind of mental bond with two others. He reached out further to identify the two. A wave of anger swept over him. The two people she was connected to were the two people she should have hated the most, Kregor and Galena. They were waging a great battle and the loss of friends hung heavy on their hearts. He had to do something, even from this great of distance. There were only a limted number of things he could do, but he tried one of them. He reached out to their minds, focusing on Ariane the most. He gave a wave of strength through the Force, reinforcing their minds and relieving thier emotional pains a small amount. He sent a small message to her.

"Ariane, this is your father. You must go to Ossus, I will be waiting there for you. Find your friends, win this battle. I have the utmost confidence in you. I love you dearly."

He awoke from the trance refreshed. He had done what he needed. He continued to meditate in the Force and wait for his arrival to Ossus.

Elodin felt like his lungs were going to explode, he'd not had a chance to draw a proper breath before the dianooga pulled him under. It was hard to concentrate, his mind fought panic at the thought of drowning down here, in the dark, all alone...

With a jerk he felt himself being pulled in two directions, something was fighting the dianooga's grip on him. Elodin's head came above the surface of the water for a moment and he filled his lungs with sweet air. He glimpsed Reed on the walkway, face twisted in concentration, hand reaching for him. Elodin realised that Reed was trying to pull him from the dianooga's deathgrip with the Force.

Calm filled his mind. He was not alone, he had a friend and ally battling to save him. Another ally was his too, for the Force was ever his ally, and a powerful ally it was.

The dianooga redoubled its efforts to pull him into its watery lair, but Elodin was no longer afraid. *Fear is a tool of the Darkside.* he thought in peace as he was again pulled beneth the water's surface. The Force flowed into him, filling him... Reaching into the dianooga's savage mind, he filled it with confusion and fear, making it believe that it had ensnared its own worst fear. With a terrified squeal, the beast released its hold on the young Jedi.

Reed had begun to despair that he would be unable to save his new friend, the dianooga was able to pull harder than his Force pull, yet suddenly he felt the resistance cease and Elodin shot out of the water towards him. Not reacting quite quickly enough, Reed was unable to stop the other young man from careening straight into him. The two of them landed in a wet heap on the walkway, both laughing with released tension.

'Thanks,' Elodin panted, 'I owe you one!'

Before Reed could reply however a cold laugh filled the darkness. A pair of dark figures stood in the now open doorway at the end of the walkway. A harsh voice rang out, 'I doubt very much, my foolish Jedi friend, that that is a debt you will ever have a chance to repay.' With that two blood red lightsabres snap-hissed into life.

'Reed,' Elodin breathed quietly through gritted teeth as the two exchanged a tense look, 'my sabre's still soaked...'

Kregor frowned, he didn't like these odds... I could he a tough fight - eyes shifting from one door to other.... He could feel Ariane and Galena, somehow indicating that they were ready...

He looked around the room... It was clear how do it....

Under his breath, Kregor whispered, " go..." Twin blood red sabres snapped into life and Kregor sprinted towards the corner.

While Galena and Ariane deflected a multitude of blaster bolts Kregor scrambled up onto the ledg and back towards the walkway. Holding his breath he slashed the two cables holding the walkway up at his end and stamped on the floor...

The walkway swung down violently and Ariane and Galena only just ducked in time. Shards of metal and debris slammed into one crowd of stormtroopers....

Meanwhile Kregor was hanging onto the cable, he swung through the opposite blastdoor sending Stormtroopers sprawling and rolling to a halt under the AT-ST. Quickly he grabbed the knee, pulled himself ud and slashed the uderbelly of the walker, sparks flying everywhere....

~

Reed and Elodin stood on the wlkway, looking at the two foes, bearing down on them... Reeds sabre snapped into life... It was a tough situation.... Suddenly a thought came to him and he reached out with the force...

He whispered under his breath, " Elodin, get ready... I've had an idea..."

Reed turned to face the opponent closest to him. Elodin, still unarmed turned to face the other.... Suddenly Reed force pulled the Dionaga out of the water and flung it at Elodins opponents neck, catching him off guard...

Not seeing how Elodin was doing he just regaind his composure to block his opponents first strike...

A mass of writhing tentacles, more than Elodin had expected, enveloped the cowled man aproaching Elodin. He heard the clash of sabres as Reed blocked a strike from the other dark figure.

The dianooga was terrified and in a frenzy and lashed about wildly, but it seemed to be focusing on the man Reed had thrown it on. That was good. Franticly shaking his sabre to get the last drops of water out of it Elodin tried its switch, he was rewarded with a promising sputter but still no blade.

Looking up for a moment to asses the situation he noted that the door was still open. Behind him the walkway ended after just a few metres, in front, trapping them the second of their opponents was exchanging blows with Reed but the two seemed to be testing one anothers skill, cautiously sizing one another up. Beyond them a flash of red sabre cut through one of the dianooga's numerous tenticles and it screamed in pain, clearly it would not hold their foe for as long as Elodin had originally hoped.

Just then, Reed parried an overhead blow that left his opponent slightly exposed. Reacting quickly Elodin pushed the dark man with the Force and he toppled over the edge of the walkway into the water below.

'We have to get out of here!' Elodin shouted to his companion, 'Quickly, follow me.' With that he ran and leapt clear over the struggling dianooga and its wouldbe prey. Hitting the far side of the walkway he rolled and kept running till he reached the doorway. Turning, he saw Reed touch down and come running towards him, just as the second attacker sliced into the very core of the dianooga's writhing body. With a moan the beast went limp and slid from the walkway to splash in the water bellow. The dark figure, his robe now torn and blood seeping from a number of cuts, turned to regard the two jedi with a look of pure loathing. Elodin shuddered as he felt truely for the first time the presence of the Dark Side of the Force. With a yell the first man leapt back onto the walkway, landing dripping by his comrade.

Just as Reed skidded to a halt beside Elodin the two dark jedi, for Elodin realised that was what they must indeed be, began to charge towards them. Trying his blade again, Elodin was rewarded by the scarlet blade hissing into life, throwing yet more bizzare shadows madly dancing across the scene. Rather than raising his blade however, Elodin flicked the door switch and locked it as it slammed shut, then he slashed the controls with his lightsabre in order to jam it.

A red sabre tip erupted from the door in a shower of sparks. 'That door's not thick enough. It won't hold them for long.' Reed commented as he shielded his face.

'Let's hope it holds them long enough!' Elodin replied as he took of once again at a run...

As the walkway crashed down Ariane and Galena just managed to throw themselves clear, Ariane for her part back flipped her way clear and caught a stormtrooper between her thighs as she stopped. With a quick twist of he waist the troopers neck made a satisfying crack and his body fell limp.

The two women force jumped onto the crashed walkway, the massive frame protecting them from the incoming fire of two of the AT ST walkers starting to stomp their way into the domed room. As they landed the two women turned in unison and force pushed an incoming rocket from the third walker. The rocket push back to it's launcher it exploded upon impact with the massive walker which stumbled slightly but continued its advance.

Surrounded by stormtroopers the two women turned their attention them and both waded into the throng. They worked together like a team and they were quickly making their way through the attacking hordes.

Kregor by this point had been driven into a full berserker rage. As the Troopers were climbing to their feet he was slashing, elbowing, kicking, heabbutting and stabbing.

By the time his red mist had cleared he was covered in blood... Several severred arms and legs lay on the floor and he was panting heavily...

Seeing Galena and Ariane still ploughing down one corridor he darted alongside the other wall and hit the door control. As it slid shut he slashed out the controls and sprinted to catch up with Ariane and Galena.

~

Reed and Elodin darted through the tunnel, the sound of lightsabre cutting door echoing after them. Eventually they reached a vast vertical tunnel, cylindrical with a diameter of a hundred metres. Power cores dominated the centre and sparks ebbed over them. A ferocious whirlwind of air almost bowled them off the walkway as they entered. Grabbing the railing Reed starred down into blackness, the bottom was so far they could not see it...

" I don't think we want to fall down there ! Hmmm, Elodin, I've got an idea.. " As Reed slammed the bulkhead Elodin grinned, he slashed his sabre at the door controls. Backing away, Reed carefully cut the walkway from the joining wall. Once they had edged to the centre where the power core was humming, Elodin cut the other side of the walkway...

The howling wind masked the sound of it crashing to the bottom. As they were sprinting towards the opposite side, the two Dark Jedi were already cutting through. As one kicked the door off the second sprinted and force jumped....

However he hadn't been able to take into account the ferocious wind, which caught him, picked him up, carried him away from the power cores and slammed him side on into a pylon across the chamber. Seeing his comrades mistake the second Dark Jedi jumed diagonally to the left of the landing spot, the wind caught him too, but he managed to grab onto the railing and continue his pursuit...

Wes crouched in a corner as another party of troops passed by. If they got through that next door, they would be right in front of the jedi. They had to be jedi anyway, for he'd heard too many lightsaber sounds for them to be anything else. And since he had no especial liking for Imperials, he decided to side with them. He waited for the troop to pass, and then he stepped into the corridor. He opened fire.

The blast from his modified weapon took two down with the first shot. He immediately ducked down another corridor. The troopers had already taken their positions. He looked around the corner and nearly had his head blown off by a blaster bolt. He fired back and got another trooper. How many were there? He had no idea, but there were too many to keep on doing it this way. He took another good look, and got his shoulder singed in the progress. He grimaced, but said nothing. He saw a likely suspect, and fired at the ceiling above the stormtroopers. A mass of pipes came crashing down on top of the squad. He jumped back into the hallway and took care of the last two.

Wes leaped over the heap of pipes and opened the blast door that the troopers would have gone through. He wanted to know what these jedi were up to.

Ariane, Galena and Kregor sprinted down the corridor, intermitantly and happless trooper would be unlucky enough to bump into them and was swiftly dealt with.

The thunder of trooper standard issue boots was rising behind them like a cresendo as the trio reached another open blast door. Ariane stopped suddenly and Galena and Kregor looked at her confused.

"Go!" she urged "Find what we need, I'll hold these guys off!"

"I'll not leave you again" pleaded Galena

"Galena we are here for a reason and aslong as we are running from troopers we will never full fill that goal. Go find the library, get what we came for," she winked knowingly at them "I will be along shortly. Now GO!"

With that she pushed the two of them through the blast door and cut the controls with her blade. She paused for a moment as she heard the troopers stopping behind her. Slowly she turned, returning her lightsaber to her belt and started to walk slowly forward.

"Hands up rebel scum!" commanded one of the troopers and she slowly raised her hands just above her shoulders and continued to walk slowly forward. On the ground just in front of her where two dead troopers their E-111 blasters lying on the ground, as she slowly walked forward she sumoned the force and calmed her mind. She could feel the force flowing through her enriching her with its power, quickening her mind and body. She stopped and closed her eyes for a moment then she opened her eyes and lowered her hands.

"I said hands up!" called the trooper as he raised his blaster and fired, but she had already moved, swiftly she dropped to her kness and grasped the two blasters on the ground. As the shot passed harmlessly over her she rolled to her right and opened fire with both blasters. To her the delay between each shot was unbearably long, to the troopers the twin blasters where firing in unison and at maximum fire rate. finishing her roll she threw herself up onto her feet again constantly firing at the troopers, who seeing that she was easily dodging their blaster shots charged her, constantly firing as they did.

'We must be getting close to the palace's main reactor.' Elodin said to Reed as they watched their two foes, now back on the walkway (the first to enter looking slightly singed from his colision with the pilon), slowly edging towards them. 'I think that this is one of the sub-reactors, feeding the motivators driving the main.' He was cut off at this point by a deafening roar of fans and the wind picked up to near huricane forces. All four men struggled to hold onto railings to keep from being swept away.

After about thirty seconds the fans cut out and the winds dropped again. 'That confirms it.' Elodin commented, 'Coolant fans. They'll be feeding straight into the reactor room... Probably anyway.' The last was added with a hint of uncertainty.

'That's nice Elodin but I don't quite see where you're going with this...' Reed said settling into a defensive posture as he eyed the two dark jedi who had started to advance again, each coming at them from a different direction. 'We need to figure out how to get out of here!' he added as he cast about for another exit.

'That's what I'm doing.' Elodin replied with a furrowed brow. 'When the time comes, do what I do. You'll have to trust me.'

With that Elodin raised his sabre and charged the dark adept on their left. Reed threw a medium sized box at the other man with the force, however he batted it away harmless and charged at the younger man and the two crossed sabres.

Elodin tried not to think about the fact that he'd never dueled with anyone seriously before as he parried a vicious blow aimed at his gut. In fact the only other person he'd ever crossed blades with was Ariane as she taught him how to use a lightsabre. Now a mistake would not result in a nasty scorch from a blade turned down low, it would mean a painful death.

The next attack jarred his whole arm and knocked his blade to the side leaving him wide open. His foes follow-up would have sliced him in two had Elodin not backfliped to land lightly ten feet away.

He was immensely relieved to hear the sound he'd been waiting for; the fans were powering up again. 'Reed now!' he shouted as his opponent dived to grab the railing once more. Reed watched in astonishment as rather than following everyone else who was reaching for a handhold, Elodin actually leapt over the railing into the strongest torrent of wind. In seconds he was whipped out of sight into the darkness overhead...

Reed has serious misgivings about Elodin's outrages escape plan. However he trusted his judgment and leapt high into the air...

Hurtling towards a wall he saw Elodin hanging by his fingertips to a grill that led to a tubular conduit. As he flew through the air, Reed confidently ignited his Sabre and as he reached the grill slashed a hole through and guided himself in.

Panting with exhaustion he reached out and pulled Elodin into the conduit.

" Elodin, are you okay... Hmmm, that won't keep them from following us for long... Hmm, wait I've got an idea - look there's the main power core for the cooling fans...."

Elodin looked confusedly at Reed as Reed threw the charred grill into the maelstrom and guided it using the force into the power core. Sure enough there was a splutter, some sparks and a small explosion. The fans stopped.

" There, that should slow em down eh ? " Reed said jovily. However his smirk drooped when an alarm came over the loudspeaker, " WARNING WARNING, CORE TEMPERATURE IS UNSTABLE. ALL PERSONEL EVACUATE "

Sheepishly Reed turned to Elodin again, " Ooops, suppose we'd better get out of here somehow..." Elodin rolled his eyes at Reed and started frantically padding down the conduit, with Reed in tow.

~

Elswhere Kregor and Galena were savouring the moment of quiet...

Kregor was uneasy about Ariane's irrational behavious, " Hmmph! She'll never learn... Always thought she was invincible... She's going to get herself killed one of these days..."

Galena shrugged, " She's good, and she's invariably lucky.... That combination can help a person survive through tough odds many times..."

Kregor frowned at her, " Well, okay, but what about when that luck runs out ?! "

Galena, shrugged, " We're in no hurry, we're not getting in until we have someone who can slice with us.. Like Reed, and we need to find a way in first ! I say we help her out... Like it or not."

Kregor raised his eyebrows," Hmmph! You know what she's like - we'll never hear the end of it... Still... "

Galena smiled knowingly at Kregor and forcejumped onto an overhead walkway. Kregor leapt high and scrambled onto the walkway. Peering through a plexi-glass viewport they could see she was holding her own.... However in the distance something caught Kregor's eye... Behind the waves of Storm Troopers were several Red Clad warriors holding some kind of melee weapon... Amongst them was the Dark Lord himself... Lord Vader... and two more black clad warriors... This looked bad...

Ariane was holding her own well, slicing, deflecting dodging. .. But she was concentrating too hard to see the menace approaching...

Kregor turned to Galena, " We've got to do something.... She's good... She's not THAT good though...."

The troopers quickly crossed the opening between them and Ariane. No matter how much she fired there numbers where overwhelming. Dropping the blasters she switched to close combat and engaged the troopers.

She moved like lightning compared to the troopers still using the force to enhance her abilities she moved much quicker than any she faced but still their numbers were overwhelming. Still she continued using her martial arts skills to their fullest along with her atletics skills that she had been taught as a child.

Suddenly she felt cold, a dark shadow grasped onto her and envoloped her. She had felt this presence once before and she remembered it well. The sudden cold stopped her for a moment and it was enough. The stormtroopers grasping their chance overpowered her and pulled her to the ground. More troopers pilled in and joined the pile.

An eerie silence filled the hallway for a moment broken only by the mechanical breathing of the man in the black Armour, but that silence did not last as with a tremendous effort she force pushed the hordes off her. Troopers where tossed away like rag dolls, sprawling down the corridor in both directions.

Without pausing she pulled her lightsaber from her belt and cast if at the enclosed walkway above. The Plexiglass shattered from around the walkway and she quickly followed up. Not daring to pause long enough to see what the Dark lord was doing.

Wes had overestimated. The jedi hadn't gotten this far yet. He felt better doing what he was doing since he had heard cries of "Rebel," several times. Whatever these jedi were trying to do, it was suicide. He had figured that they must be trying to get into the palace. It had to be really important to risk suicide, hell, to commit suicide. That was why he had gone this far, he had to help. He considered himself... An innocent bystander with a very big gun.

He set off down the hall in the direction that they would be coming from.

Elodin and Reed ran through the air ducts, passing a number of dark side tunnels they kept going straight ahead. Not knowing where they were or where they were going.

Reed ran straight into Elodin's back when he stopped suddenly. 'What is it? What's wrong?' He asked the tall dark haired young man.

'Nothing... Nothings wrong.' Elodin replied in a rather distracted manner. As he looked down a side tunnel that looked no different from the half dozen before it. 'We need to go this way.' He commented in the same distant tone.

Ten metres down the tunnel was an access hatch that Reed kicked open and the two of them clambered out into a large deserted hallway. Elodin gasped at the magnitude of the Imperial Palace, this hall was larger than the Great Hall of the Naboo Royal Palace in Theed, and by all appearances it was in a completely dissused section. Dust lay heavily all around them, muffling their footsteps.

Elodin turned suddenly, startling Reed, he wore a strange expression on his face and tilted his head slightly, as if straining to hear something. What is it?' Reed enquired again, rather more insistantly.

'I'm not really sure... I think the Force is guiding me somewhere.'

'Ok then, let's go. The sooner we find the others and get out of here the better.' Reed responded. He too could feel a tremmor in the Force, but he had the nasty feeling it was to do with his parents being in trouble, rather than a guide to be followed.

Running down the corridor together Elodin took another sharp turn down a poorly lit corridor. At the end of this hall was a solid looking door. 'Too thick to cut through... two access panels, looks like they require a simultaneous code entry... Impressive security. Wonder what's in there?' Reed mused looking over the huge black door.

'The Library.' Elodin said definately. 'Can you crack the panel on the left if I take the one on the right?'

Kregor watched horrified at the scene below. The rythmic mechanical breathing drowned the silence, " Commander, tear this place apart until you've found those Jedi... I want to personally execute them myself.." A stormtrooper saluted Darth Vader, " Yes sir, " And squadrons began breaking up, forming and spreading out.

Galena shook her head at Kregor, " Kregor this is getting too hot... Thyey must have known we were coming... We should turn back..." Kregor sighed, " No... I've been in worse situations than this... Hmmph, I've worked with Vader - he's not such a big shot... Hmmph - that would be the ultimate penance for the Jedi I've slain..." Galena stared at Kregor, shocked, " You're NOT taking on Vader.... You can fight the Jedi, but he's made mince meat out of any Jedi he's fought..." Kregor smiled, " Well, I do like a challenge... Besides it might crete a suitable diversion for the rest of you to get into the library..."

Galena couldn't believe what she was hearing, " Are you mad ? It's not worth dying for ! You wouldn't last a heart beat against Vader..." Kregor smiled warmly at her, " Want a bet ?! Get to the library - get out..."

Galena tried to pull him back, " Think about what you're doing ! You'll be killed! " Kregor shrugged her hand off his shoulder, " If that's my fate - then so be it..."

In the antichamber where the Royal Guards and Vader were waiting Vader was looking around, slightly disturbed looking... " I sense something... Something I've not felt since.... Jedi Hunter...."

Kregor smashed through an upstairs window and rolled to his feet, " Yes, Lord Vader.... It's been along time... "

~

Back at the library entrance Reed had opened his side of the lock, " Elodin, come on! Hurry up - I think I can hear someone coming !"

With a hiss the door opened slowly, revealing a darkened room. Dust lay even more thickly on this floor, than that in the corridor. In the centre of the large chamber was a computer bank.

'Reed, can you access the data we need? You're obviously the better slicer.'

'Yeah sure.' Reed replied, throwing himself into a chair.

Elodin moved around the edge of the circular room. The wall was lined with pedestals. On one a lightsabre lay, Elodin picked it up and flicked the controls but the thing was dead and looked like it had been for a long time.

The next three held busts, of what must have been old Jedi Masters. Sadly each had been defaced, the proud features hacked and blasted by some unknown person.

The fifth pedestal held a simple cristaline cube however. Something about it drew Elodin's gaze. It seemed strange but it felt as if this, rather than the computer, had been drawing him across the palace.

Just as he reached for it however a gun turret lowered from the ceiling and pointed straight at him...

With a hiss the door opened slowly, revealing a darkened room. Dust lay even more thickly on this floor, than that in the corridor. In the centre of the large chamber was a computer bank.

'Reed, can you access the data we need? You're obviously the better slicer.'

'Yeah sure.' Reed replied, throwing himself into a chair.

Elodin moved around the edge of the circular room. The wall was lined with pedestals. On one a lightsabre lay, Elodin picked it up and flicked the controls but the thing was dead and looked like it had been for a long time.

The next three held busts, of what must have been old Jedi Masters. Sadly each had been defaced, the proud features hacked and blasted by some unknown person.

The fifth pedestal held a simple cristaline cube however. Something about it drew Elodin's gaze. It seemed strange but it felt as if this, rather than the computer, had been drawing him across the palace.

Just as he reached for it however a gun turret lowered from the ceiling and pointed straight at him...

Reed span on the spot and threw his lightsabre at the turret, before it could fire the spinning sabre diced it. Looking smug, Reed force pulled his sabre back to him.... Then dived out oof the way as the blade almost impaled him... Elodin smirked at him, " Not bad Reed...." Reed frowned and climbed to his feet, retrieving his now de-activated sabre, " Hmmph, I'll get it right one day... So what do you reckon that crystal cube thing is for anyway ?!"

~

Meanwhile Vader was looking menacingly at Kregor, who was smiling confidently, " Jedi hunter... What brings you back to the palace ? The Emperor told you your work was done... " Kregor started striding parrallel to Vader and the Royal guards, " Well, I missed Jedi Hunting, and then I thought... There's one jedi left...."

Vader looked at him emotionless, the cold black armour giving no sign of any feeling or reaction. The tension broke as Vaders red lightsabre snapped into life, and he strode forwards towards Kregor. Kregor was slightly nervous at this, he was more nervous than any other fight he ever been in... He recalled his fateful battle with the Dark Jedi Yado all those years ago... The Darkness, and hate swirling around Yado... He could feel it again here, now... Yet more powerful, a dark cacophony of the evil emotions swirling around Vader.... The heavy, mechanical breathing, drawing closer.... AS he was walking Vader stopped, " No... I will not waste my time fighting you Jedi Hunter, until you have proved your worthiness as an opponent." Turning his back on Kregor Vader motioned with his hand to the Royal Guards who advanced on Kregor, Force-spikes at the ready. Vader disappeared through a doorway....

Feeling a sense of relief, Kregor sighed, lost in his thoughts he only just dodged the first force-spike attack...

Galena didn't respond she just kept staring down the corridor, at first Ariane could not work out why but then she felt it, the darkness clawing at her soul. Something she had tried to bury deep inside of her was trying to claw itself out, summonded by a very powerful force, the force she knew, it was Vader!!!!

By the time Galena and Ariane had reached Kregor, Vader was long gone. Instead Kregor was recievieving a Royal thrashing, from the red armoured guards.

A Force-Spike slammed into Kregors mid-riff, taking the hit he swept around with an elegant twirling neck slash. Cortosis wrist blade glanced off red armour, this threw Kregor off balance. As he staggered sideways a knee slammed into his back, sending him sprawling...

Quickly climbing to his hands and knees, Kregor swung a mighty leg sweep as his attackers, knocking two off their feet. Kregors leg was stopped abruptly at the end of its arc, by a red booted foot clamping his leg to the ground. He looked up and saw the inevitable fatal blow as the guard prepared to spear his face, just before it swept in though a red sabre bladeslashed the force-spike in two, then whirled around lopping the guards arm off at the elbow.

Kregor quickly jumped to his feet, with Galena and Ariane attacking the guards, one of whom was now lying on the floor shaking, clutching the cuaterised stump where his arm was, the odds were back in his favour...